CBD LoveThe independent Australian guideSearch

Quick answers

Short, direct answers to the questions Australians ask most.

52 guides

  • Is CBD oil legal in Australia?

    Yes, with a prescription. CBD is a prescription medicine in Australia, and no over-the-counter CBD product has been registered as of November 2026.

  • Do you need a prescription for CBD oil?

    Yes. As of November 2026 every CBD oil lawfully supplied in Australia needs a prescription, because no over-the-counter product has been registered.

  • Can you buy CBD at a chemist?

    Not off the shelf. As of November 2026 no over-the-counter CBD product is registered, so a pharmacy can supply CBD only on prescription.

  • Can a GP prescribe CBD?

    Yes. Any registered doctor, including a GP, can apply to prescribe CBD through a TGA access pathway if other approved treatments have been considered.

  • How much does CBD oil cost?

    There is no official price list. Most patients pay the full cost of the consultation and the medicine, which Healthdirect says may run to thousands of dollars a year.

  • Is CBD covered by Medicare or the PBS?

    Mostly no. The only PBS-subsidised CBD is Epidyolex, for two rare epilepsies. Other CBD products are unapproved medicines with no subsidy.

  • Is it legal to buy CBD online?

    Not without a prescription. CBD is a prescription medicine, overseas orders are prohibited imports, and unregulated products are often mislabelled.

  • Can you bring CBD into Australia?

    Only as a traveller carrying CBD prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacist, up to 3 months' supply. CBD bought in a shop overseas does not qualify.

  • Can you take CBD overseas?

    It depends entirely on the destination. Some countries have very strict rules on cannabis medicines, so check with the embassy before you travel.

  • Can you drive on CBD oil?

    Official advice in NSW, Victoria and Queensland is that people on CBD-only medicine can drive if not impaired. Any THC in the product changes the answer.

  • Is CBD the same as hemp oil?

    No. Hemp seed oil is a food oil pressed from seeds with only a trace of CBD. CBD oil is a prescription medicine in Australia.

  • Are CBD gummies legal?

    Only as a prescribed medicine dispensed by a pharmacy. CBD gummies cannot be sold as food or lollies in Australia, and imports can be seized.

  • Can you vape CBD?

    No vaped CBD product is registered in Australia, and the over-the-counter CBD category covers oral products only. Any lawful use needs a prescription.

  • Does CBD help anxiety?

    The evidence is limited. A few small studies at 300 to 600 mg found short-term effects, but pooled trial results are not statistically significant.

  • Does CBD help you sleep?

    On current evidence, not clearly. An Australian trial of 150 mg CBD nightly for insomnia found it similar to placebo on most sleep measures.

  • Does CBD help pain?

    Trials say no for CBD on its own. In 15 of 16 randomised trials, pharmaceutical-grade CBD was no better than placebo for pain.

  • Can you take CBD with antidepressants?

    Not without medical advice. CBD blocks liver enzymes that process many medicines, and one small study found it raised citalopram blood levels.

  • Is CBD safe in pregnancy?

    No. Regulators advise against CBD in pregnancy and breastfeeding. There are no adequate human studies, and animal studies found harm to development.

  • Can you give CBD to your dog?

    Only if a vet prescribes it. No CBD product is approved for animals in Australia, and human cannabis products can contain THC, which is toxic to dogs.

  • What schedule is CBD?

    CBD is Schedule 4 (prescription only) when it makes up 98% or more of a product's cannabinoids. A Schedule 3 entry exists, but no product qualifies.

  • How much THC can CBD contain?

    In a prescription-only CBD product, other cannabinoids, including THC, can be up to 2% of the total cannabinoids. Australia has no "under 0.3% THC" rule.

  • Is CBD legal in the ACT?

    Only on prescription. The ACT's personal-use cannabis law allows possession and home growing, but it creates no legal shop and does not change medicines law.

  • What if customs seizes your CBD?

    CBD is a prohibited import. Border authorities say parcels will be seized and the person may face prosecution. How often small orders are prosecuted is not published.

  • What is the Special Access Scheme?

    The Special Access Scheme lets a prescriber apply to the TGA to supply an unapproved medicine, such as most CBD oils, to one named patient.

  • Are cannabis clinics legitimate?

    Cannabis clinics are legal medical practices, but regulators say some put profit ahead of patient safety. What the rules require and what you can ask.

  • Can you use any pharmacy?

    Yes, you can choose your pharmacy. Most CBD products are unapproved medicines that the pharmacy orders in for you, so call ahead and ask about price.

  • What is Epidyolex?

    Epidyolex is a purified CBD oral solution and the only CBD medicine registered in Australia, approved as an add-on for seizures in two rare epilepsies.

  • Can you get CBD with no THC?

    Not with a guarantee. The closest category is a CBD-only (Schedule 4) product, where CBD is 98% or more of the cannabinoids, and it may still contain a trace of THC.

  • What does "TGA approved" mean?

    Almost certainly not. Only two cannabis medicines are registered in Australia. Other prescribed CBD products are unapproved, though they must meet a quality standard.

  • Is a prescription a defence?

    Only in Tasmania, as of November 2026. Elsewhere, driving with any THC is an offence even if your cannabis medicine was prescribed.

  • Can you be sacked for CBD?

    A prescription does not automatically protect you. Workplace tests look for THC, and reported tribunal cases turned on the policy, disclosure and a fair process.

  • Can you fly with CBD oil?

    We found no airline or aviation rule on prescribed CBD for domestic flights. Official advice is to carry it in its labelled pack with your prescription.

  • What is full-spectrum CBD?

    Full-spectrum CBD is a whole-plant extract that keeps other cannabinoids, including some THC. In Australia most such products are Schedule 8.

  • What does the mg on a bottle mean?

    A figure like 3,000 mg is usually the total CBD in the bottle. The strength that matters is mg per mL, found by dividing the total by the volume.

  • Do CBD creams work?

    There is little evidence they do. Very little CBD passes through the skin, and two small trials found no meaningful effect of CBD cream or gel on muscle soreness.

  • Is the label accurate?

    Unregulated CBD products tested overseas were often mislabelled, and some contained THC. Australian prescription products tested by the TGA were mostly accurate.

  • Are CBD drinks legal?

    No. CBD cannot be added to food or drink in Australia, and no food may contain more than 75 mg/kg of CBD. Hemp seed drinks are allowed under strict limits.

  • How much CBD should you take?

    There is no standard CBD dose, and this site does not recommend one. In Australia the prescriber sets the dose. Here are the doses trials used.

  • Should you take CBD with food?

    Food changes how much CBD you absorb. A high-fat meal raised exposure about 4-fold, so the key is to take it the same way each time, as your prescriber advises.

  • Can you build a tolerance to CBD?

    The evidence is thin. One effect of CBD faded within 7 days, while seizure reductions held for years in an uncontrolled follow-up. No withdrawal was found on stopping.

  • CBD side effects

    The most common side effects of CBD in trials are sleepiness, reduced appetite and diarrhoea. High doses often raise liver enzymes on blood tests.

  • Is CBD bad for your liver?

    CBD can raise liver enzymes, a blood-test sign of liver stress. The effect is dose-related, usually symptom-free and reversible, and much more common with valproate.

  • Can you drink on CBD?

    Alcohol adds to the sleepiness CBD can cause and raised CBD blood levels by 93% in a study. There is no evidence-based safe amount, so ask your prescriber.

  • CBD and blood thinners

    Yes, it can. Case reports describe INR rising after CBD was started in people on warfarin. Clopidogrel may also be affected. Tell your prescriber first.

  • Are hemp foods legal?

    Yes. Foods made from low-THC hemp seed have been legal since 12 November 2017. They must meet THC limits, cannot have CBD added and cannot make CBD claims.

  • Is CBD safe for older people?

    CBD has barely been tested in people over 65. The main concerns are interactions with common medicines, sleepiness and liver effects.

  • Can teenagers take CBD?

    Only on prescription. Pharmacist-only CBD is for adults, and for under-18s the TGA expects support from a paediatrician or specialist. Evidence in teens is thin.

  • CBD and breastfeeding

    Regulators advise against it. Nobody has measured CBD in human breast milk, but regulators expect some passes into it, and CBD clears from the body slowly.

  • Is CBD skincare legal?

    Hemp seed oil skincare is lawful. The Poisons Standard has no exemption for cosmetics with added CBD, and CBD skincare ordered from overseas can be seized.

  • Does CBD help muscle recovery?

    Small trials have mostly found no meaningful benefit. CBD by mouth and CBD creams did not clearly reduce soreness or speed recovery, and none improved performance.

  • Can cats have CBD?

    Only if a vet prescribes it. There is not enough evidence that CBD helps cats with any condition, and cats absorb CBD differently from dogs.

  • Is CBD banned in sport?

    No. CBD is not on the anti-doping Prohibited List, but THC is banned in competition and CBD products can contain it. Treat CBD as a supplement risk.